Roots
by TheDreamerSetFree
Summary: Lily Rosen is a born and bred Gothamite, raised among the roughest of the rough in the Narrows. By a mix of fate and sheer determination, she leaves her job at Arkham Asylum to join Wayne Enterprises and gets tangled up in the mess that is Bruce Wayne. Her future looks promising, but her past clings to her. Lily fights to protect her family and her life but at what cost?
1. Chapter 1

People say that Gotham is a dark, foreboding city. There's an old saying that "you can't walk out your front door without getting mugged". But, this is the people's city. Liliana Rosen tries to see the good in it. The child giving the homeless man the money he was going to spend on ice cream. The woman paying for the veteran's meal. The teenage girl putting away her phone so she can help the old woman cross the street.

Little things mean a lot in this unforgiving city.

There are still the dark parts of Gotham. She gripped her messenger bag just a little tighter as a man looked at her on the monorail. Her fingers drummed on her leg and she instinctively reached for her phone when the intercom announced that they were at her stop. The brunette hurried out as fast as she could in her heels. The gleaming building she worked in towered over the other boring, brick buildings of the city but she was not intimidated at all. With a stoic face, she fished out her Wayne Enterprises badge from her blazer jacket and strode in.

Being Lucius Fox's personal assistant and secretary means that Lily was known around the building. Some people moved out of her way while others waved and greeted her. She nodded, getting into the personal elevator only used by her, Fox, and any other higher ups for the company.

"Good morning, April," she greeted the top floor secretary.

"Morning, darling. Here's his coffee and yours is already on your desk," the plump woman smiled. April was like a mother to Lily and always made sure she wasn't pushing herself too hard.

"Thank you," Lily grabbed the coffee that was perched on her desk and pushed open the glass door to her office. She dropped her messenger bag unceremoniously on her chair and entered the door on the side of her office.

"Good morning, Mr. Fox. Here is your coffee. You have a call with Stone Industries in an hour, a meeting with the head of Accounting at 11, lunch with Miss Black at 1, a call with the CEO of Rockhurst International at 4, and a meeting with the head of Wayne Biotech at 7. All in all, a pretty simple day. Do you need anything, sir?" she greeted him, setting his coffee on his desk.

"I have a meeting with Bruce Wayne at 5," he said calmly and her head shot up to look at him.

"Bruce Wayne. As in, the owner of Wayne Enterprise?" she squeaked and he laughed.

"The one and only."

"I'll….put it in my books," she nodded before quickly hurrying out.

In six months of work, Bruce Wayne had never come to her office. He was THE billionaire playboy. Tabloids couldn't go a day without mentioning his newest exploits. Lily's handled grabby rich guys before, she can handle Bruce Wayne.

Then again, he's her boss's boss.

Lily's daily tasks soon enveloped her mind and all thoughts of Bruce Wayne went flying out the window. She was briefly aware of Mr. Fox reminding her to eat lunch when she checked the time.

"1 o'clock, damn," she mumbled, quickly hurrying to grab her wallet and rushing to the elevator with a fast explanation to April that she was going to the cafe next door.

Lily was a regular at Beans. It was practically a second home for her. Meg, the owner, waved at her when she entered and called out for the "Flower Special" to one of her workers. Beans was never too cramped and everything was served just right. Meg was only in her late twenties, but she ran her business smoothly.

"What's up, chica?" Lily asked the redhead.

"Nothing much. Just trying out some new coffees. How are you?"

"Great. Nadia is in her second year of college already. Can you believe that?" Lily sighed at the thought of her sister.

"Seems like only yesterday that she was in her spot studying for her AP exams," Meg laughed.

"Flower Special. One container of house salad, a small mac n' cheese, and one turkey sandwich on wheat bread because your taste buds are dead, and one large caramel cappuccino," Anne, one of the longtime employees, said as she plopped the bag and coffee in front of Lily. The brunette smiled and handed her the exact amount it costs.

"I would love to stay and chat but Mr. Fox needs these reports typed up quickly," Lily sighed.

"Go. Be done by six! Get home safe. Text me when you're in!" Meg ordered and Lily nodded solemnly, "Yes, mother."

The redhead flipped her a rather unsavory hand gesture and Lily laughed, walking towards the door. A young boy, probably seven or eight ran in, knocking her over. A strong arm wrapped around her waist and Lily found herself inches from the ground, her coffee safely caught in her savior's hand.

"Sorry about that. He gets excited and barrels straight into people," the man apologized, pulling her up.

"Oh, no! It's fine! I love this place so I can understand," she laughed, "Thank you though. I wasn't really looking forward to getting burned by scalding hot coffee."

The man was gorgeous. His black hair was slicked back from his chiseled face and his piercing blue eyes seemed to stare into her soul. Her breath caught in her throat when he offered her a smile. It didn't seem to reach his eyes though. A three piece suit adorned his body, his very well toned body. The suit strained against his rippling muscles and Lily had to tear her eyes away.

"Come and apologize," the man told the young boy sternly.

The boy's face fell and he shuffled forward, studying his shoes. His messy black hair was falling into his eyes. He looked up at her and looked truly remorseful.

"I'm sorry for running into you," the boy sniffled.

"Apology accepted," Lily smiled, kneeling down, "Just don't try to take anyone else out, alright? Running is for outside."

He nodded and she ruffled his hair affectionately. The flash of light reflecting off her watch made Lily shoot up and she ran a hand through her brown curls.

"Thanks again, but I need to get going," Lily accepted her coffee the man held out and grabbed her bag before hurrying out.

It wasn't till she was back in the office before she realized she forgot to get his name.


	2. Chapter 2

"Miss Rosen, good to see you eating for once," Mr. Fox smirked as he walked by.

"Thanks, sir," she rolled her eyes with a grin.

Lucius hired Lily six months ago because of an accident. Or, if you're that sort of person, fate. The wind knocked files right out of his hand and into the unknown of Gotham. He was wracked with worry, considering a certain someone's suit schematics were in them. He was getting ready to call Bruce when Lily ran up to him, files in hand.

"I've seen you in the news before and I'm guessing these are yours. Don't worry, I didn't look through them," she smiled, dark blue eyes shining.

"Can I buy you some coffee? I want to ask you something."

She took him up on his offer instantly and resigned from her secretary position at Arkham Asylum the minute she got home. Lily was efficient in her work and could keep up with all the business vernacular that flew around the building. She used her salary to pay tuition at Gotham University, majoring in chemistry and minoring in biology and business management. Her sister was getting a degree in biology at Metropolis University and Lucius made sure they were never in debt. Nadia wanted to be a doctor and Lily confessed to Lucius that she wanted Nadia to reach her dream.

In a way, he was like their father. He made sure Lily was eating and sleeping enough because the brunette often got caught up with work. He made sure Nadia came home often and was doing alright.

Lily slipped back into work mode and her fingers flying over the keys was the only sound occupying the small office. She was finishing up the last of the reports when her intercom buzzed.

"Mr. Wayne is coming up, ma'am," Ernie, the front desk security guard informed her.

"Thank you, sir," she responded and straightened her blazer, sitting up a little straighter.

The elevator doors opened and Lily held her breath. She glanced up as April opened her office door.

Bruce Wayne was coffee shop guy? The kid from Beans was trailing behind him, chest puffed out and serious face on.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Wayne. I'm Lily Rosen, Mr. Fox's personal assistant," she smiled, walking over to greet them.

"I do recall bumping into you at Beans," he gave her the classic Wayne smirk and Lily felt a bit of heat rise to her cheeks.

"Dick, you remember Miss Rosen, right?" Mr. Wayne asked the boy.

"Yeah! I'm sorry for running into you. You work here? That's so cool!" Dick let his big kid persona drop and Lily smiled brighter.

"It is pretty cool, isn't it? I'll inform Mr. Fox that you're here. Is there anything you need?" Lily asked them.

"No, thank you," Bruce shook his head.

Lily pressed her intercom to Lucius' office, "Mr. Fox, Mr. Wayne is here for your meeting."

"Send him in," Lucius immediately responded.

"Do you mind watching Dick?" Bruce looked a bit nervous asking her.

"Dick and I will have tons of fun while you do boring business work. Isn't that right?" Lily looked down at the young boy who cheered.

"Thank you, Miss Rosen."

"You can call me Lily, sir."

"Only if you call me Bruce."

Lily's eyes widened with shock and he smirked, entering Fox's office. The door shut behind him and Lily turned to Dick.

"He does that a lot," Dick commented.

"Does what?"

"Surprise people."

"How old are you?"

"Ten, but Alfred says I'm going on forty."

"Alfred?"

"Bruce's butler. He can make good lasagna."

"Good to know."

When Bruce and Lucius walked out of his office almost two hours later, they came upon a comical sight. Lily and Dick her stretched out on the floor, her heels thrown into the corner. Dick was deep in concentration, tongue poking slightly out of his mouth, as he colored. Lily was reading a textbook and scribbling down notes, a highlighter hanging out of her mouth.

"Miss Rosen," Fox said and the brunette jumped, head shooting up.

"Sorry, Mr. Fox, Mr. Wayne," she winced, standing up.

"Did he behave?" Bruce directed their attention to the eight year old.

"He was a little angel," Lily beamed.

"It's almost dinner time, Dick. Alfred is probably wondering where we are," Bruce told him before turning to Lily.

"Thank you."

"It was nothing. He's a sweet kid. You promise to come by again so we can hang out some more, right, Dick?" she asked the young boy who was rubbing his eyes tiredly.

His blue eyes shot open and he nodded vigorously as the adults laughed.

"What do you say, Dick?" Bruce nudged him slightly.

"Thank you, Miss Rosen!"

"Call me Lily, okay?" she stepped closer to Bruce in order to ruffle Dick's hair. Bruce looked down at her and their eyes locked briefly. Her cheeks flushed a light pink and he offered her a small smile. Lily pulled back and cleared her throat, "Well, I better get back to work. Mr. Fox, any more files you need me to record?"

"No, why don't you go home? I recall you saying you have an exam tomorrow."

"Yes, sir. Goodnight," she said to the three men. Well….two men and one boy.

After packing up her things, Lily went to the elevator and into the growing night.


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce glanced over at Dick who was practically wiggling in the passenger seat.

"She's super funny and nice and pretty. Don't you think Lily is pretty, Bruce?" Dick rambled on.

Bruce thought back to the soft spoken brunette. Her pale skin made her dark blue eyes pop from under thick lashes. Her hair wasn't dark, but more of an ashy brown. She was tall but not even close to his stature. How was she getting home? She surely wouldn't be walking. The streets of Gotham weren't safe this late at night.

"Dick, if we start patrol early, you can sleep in tomorrow and don't have to train," Bruce bargained.

"Throw in some ice cream and we have a deal," he shot back.

Bruce smirked, agreeing with the young boy. He increased the speed of the car and they soon found themselves at the Wayne Manor.

"Grab something to eat and then suit up," he ordered, his Bruce Wayne mask slipping away.

While Dick ran to go bug Alfred for a snack, Bruce went to the library and pressed the familiar three notes and watched as the bookshelf slid open. He got into the elevator which brought him to the cave and went to the computers. Accessing the Wayne Enterprises employee files, he opened Liliana Rosen's.

_Liliana Rosen. Age: 21. Currently attending Gotham University. Father (Deceased), Mother (Incarcerated), Sister: Nadia Rosen (Emergency Contact, located in Metropolis). Address: Apt. 3, 121 Hyatt Street, the Narrows._

The Narrows. As in, the most dangerous part of the most dangerous city. Fox had told him that normally Lily drove, but recently her car had been in the shop and she was taking the train in.

"Robin, hurry. There's something top priority occurring and I need you," he said over the comms.

Meanwhile, Lily was pissed. Her heel broke, it started to rain, and the train was down….yet again. She was half a mile into her trek when she felt someone watching her. Her pace quickened and she prayed to whoever was up there that they left her alone today.

"Hey, sweetie, come over here," a seedy looking man wheezed and Lily kept walking, keeping her eyes in front of her.

A hand grabbed her arm and yanked her back, spinning her to face the six men. They leered at her and one trailed a hand over her cheek. Lily flinched back and spat straight into his eye.

"That wasn't a smart move, sweetheart," he drawled and decked her.

Her cheek throbbed as she picked herself up and shook off the hit. Lily used her heavy bag to hit one guy, making him bend over in pain. She kicked the second one where the sun doesn't shine and slapped the third. Someone grabbed her arms and restrained them behind her back and a blade pressed to her cheek.

"I like the feisty ones," the leader grinned, brushing the knife over her neck.

"Yeah, you and all the other dickwads in this city," Lily snapped and he pressed the knife into her collarbone, making her bite her lip as some blood trickled down from the small cut he made.

"Now, let's show you how to behave, yeah?" he chuckled and reared back, slamming his fist into her stomach. She doubled over, heaving up whatever she had in her stomach last before raising her head to look up at him defiantly.

"That the best you got?" she challenged before groaning when he kicked her in the ribs.

"Ooo, that might be broken," he mocked and she grit her teeth from crying out in pain.

"You can't make me cry if that's what you want," she snarled and he struck her across the face, one of his rings leaving a cut near her eye.

"And you can't tell me what to do," he sneered.

"But I can," a gravelly voice came from behind them.

The men released Lily and backed away. She fell to her knees, her injuries taking their toll on her. Two figures stepped out of the shadows, a giant one and a small one. The giant one was the infamous vigilante, Batman. The tiny one, his partner Robin.

"Look man, you know the deal. Pretty girl walks by with a bad attitude, we just wanna make her smile! Then she goes mouthing off and we have to teach her a lesson, ya know?" the leader laughed nervously.

"I don't hit innocent people. Especially women and children. You, however, are none of those," Batman growled and threw a Batarang before lunging into the fight.

The sound of Kevlar hitting flesh resounded off the walls of the alley and Lily felt her head hit the pavement. Everything was blurry for a second, like she was underwater. Robin was bent over her, saying something.

"Stay awake! Batman, she's drifting off!" Robin cried.

Batman finished up throwing the last of the men into the wall before kneeling next to the woman. He pressed one gloved hand against the cut on her collarbone before checking her pulse. _Weak._

"Call Alfred, tell him we need ambulances and give him our location," her ordered in a whisper so she couldn't hear.

Robin went a little ways away so he could make the call and Batman tilted Lily's head to the side gently. Her eyes shot back open and he held her shoulder down so she wouldn't sit up and hurt herself more.

"What hurts?" he asked gruffly.

"R-ribs," she gasped and cried out when he lightly pressed down on her side.

"It's definitely cracked," he reported.

"You think?" she hissed out.

Sirens wailed in the air and Batman narrowed his eyes slightly before turning back to her, "Ambulance is here. Robin, let's go."

They got ready to sink into the night when a weak, "Wait," fell past Lily's lips.

"Thank you," she gasped out, "I owe you my life."

"Just stay out of trouble and that's good," Batman smirked slightly.

"I don't know if I can do that," she laughed before wincing, "I-If you need anything, I'm sure you can find me."

They nodded before sinking into the shadows of the alley they came from just as an ambulance turned the corner. Dick and Bruce watched as the paramedics got out and started to load Lily onto the board and gurney.

"How did you know she would be attacked tonight?" Dick asked.

"Just a hunch."


	4. Chapter 4

It was almost two weeks later when he came to her. Batman and Robin slipped into the small apartment close to ten and waited. Within fifteen minutes, they heard the telltale sound of jangling keys and the door being unlocked. A loud sigh bounced off the walls as Lily entered, shutting and locking the door behind her.

She flipped on the lights and dropped her messenger bag on the ground before kicking off her heels. With a soft groan of pain, she placed both hands on her kitchen countertops and took in a deep breath, rolling her neck and shoulders. Dark bags were prominent under her eyes in the dim light of the apartment and they could see the exhaustion clinging to her bones.

Lily turned to shuffle over to the couch when she spotted the two vigilantes looming in the corner of the room. She let out a small scream, slapping her hands over her chest and jumping back.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed, "What the everloving _fuck_ do you think you're doing?"

"Our apologies, Miss Rosen," Batman rasped, "You said we could find you if we needed your help."

"Christ almighty, next time CALL," she ran a hand through her hair, "Jesus, you just knocked five years off my life."

"What do you know about Arkham Asylum?" Batman asked, stepping a little out of the shadows.

"Plenty. I used to work there. Why?" she crossed her arms and stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"There's a new player in the market operating out of Arkham. I haven't got a lot of information, but this is what we have so far."

A manila folder was tossed onto her small kitchen table and she opened it, reading over the information.

"Talk to Dr. Crane or Dr. Monroe. They're head of the facility. Be careful for the off limit rooms. Dark things happen at Arkham," she shook her head, "Some of these files don't match the ones I've seen, though. These numbers are remarkable. Arkham normally gets benefits from the government. The income now has skyrocketed by 80%."

"That's all I need, Miss Rosen. Thank you," Batman nodded.

"Next time, call me before you give me a heart attack," she rolled her eyes, "Anything else I can help you with?"

"...there is one thing," Batman smirked, "How will I be able to reach you?"

"Get me a burner phone and you'll be set, Batboy."

Robin adorably saluted her and they slipped back out the window. Lily rolled her eyes and went to go study.

She woke up at six in the morning to a headache and a stiff neck. With a groan, Lily pushed off her desk where she had fallen asleep and sighed. Recently, she hasn't been sleeping much. The most sleep she got was when she passed out around two or three in the morning. Her body was tuned to waking up early anyway. After being mugged and saved, she took up self defense classes on top of school and work. Her mind was sluggish and her body was sore, but it was the price to pay for living in Gotham.

A cold shower and a large cup of coffee brought some semblance of life back to her face. She decided to go with simple makeup and straightened her hair, letting it fall around her face. A simple dark blue dress adorned her slim figure and she slipped on nude pumps, preparing for the lengthy trek to the train. Grabbing her messenger bag, Lily left her apartment, making sure her many locks were locked. With a nod of greeting to her neighbor, Miss Sparrow, Lily headed outside.

A dark car was parked outside and an older man was leaning against it. He glanced up at her as she came out and smiled.

"Are you Liliana Rosen?" he asked and she raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Why are you asking?" she questioned.

"I'm Mr. Wayne's butler, Alfred. He asked me to pick you up this morning so you wouldn't have to walk."

"And why would he do that?" her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well, I would think it's because he is your boss," his crisp British accent and pleasant smile helped alleviate her nerves somewhat and she agreed to get in the car.

"Thank you for this, Alfred. You really don't have to," she said, probably for the fiftieth time during the drive.

"Believe me, Miss Rosen, I did. Master Wayne is very stubborn and Master Dick has taken a liking to you."

A faint blush covered Lily's cheeks and she sank back against the plush car seats. Alfred smirked to himself before speaking again, "Master Wayne prefers to drive himself so it's nice to drive again. Here we are. Have a nice day, Miss Rosen."

"Thank you so much, Alfred," she gave him a gentle smile before getting out.

The aging butler watched her hurry to the glass doors of Wayne Enterprise before starting to drive off.

"I quite like her," he chuckled to himself. Master Wayne surely picked a nice girl.

Lily got to her office earlier than normal, but someone was already sitting behind her desk with a pondering look on his face.

"Good morning, Dick. What are you doing here?" she asked, setting her stuff down.

"Bruce and Mr. Fox have a board meeting today. I don't have school because there was a gas leak so Bruce brought me along," he explained.

"Perfect! I always need a little help around the office. Will you help me today?" she smiled, ruffling his hair.

His cerulean eyes widened and he nodded rapidly, a grin growing on his face.

"First, you need to finish coloring while I get Mr. Wayne and Mr. Fox some coffee," Lily mock ordered and Dick eagerly put his attention back on the paper in front of him.

Lily went back out to April's desk and thanked her as she grabbed the two coffees sitting on her desk. The brunette then walked back through her office and knocked on Mr. Fox's door. A faint "come in" gave her the go ahead to enter.

"Good morning, Mr. Fox, Mr. Wayne," she greeted, setting the coffee down, "Was a board meeting called and I didn't write it down?"

"No, don't worry. I scheduled it thirty minutes ago knowing you would be a bit early today," Lucius waved off her concern, "I'm just concerned about the recent investments in Wayne Biomedical."

"Alright. I can watch Dick and I am delivering reports to the different offices today. I can push your meeting to tomorrow, is that okay?"

"That's great, thank you."

"Do you need anything, Mr. Wayne?" she turned to the billionaire who was fiddling with his tie and frowning.

"Nothing I can think of. Thank you for watching Dick. Also, I recall telling you to call me Bruce," he gave her a small smile.

She stepped forward and lightly pulled the tie out of his large hands, "Allow me."

Her fingers deftly slipped the fabric around and through the loop before tightening it and making sure it was straight. She felt his breathing hitch when she accidentally brushed a hand over his chest. Her eyes shot up, meeting his. He studied her face for a moment before Lucius cleared his throat.

The two stepped away from each other quickly, eyes darting to inspect the floor. Lucius gave the two young adults knowing looks before nodding at Lily, "I'll call you if there are any problems."

Lily walked back to her office and Bruce didn't hide his obvious staring at her retreating figure.

_Maybe I should get into that bet with Pennyworth… _Lucius mused.


	5. Chapter 5

"So, you've never toured Wayne Enterprises even though Bruce is your adopted father?" Lily asked Dick who was trailing beside her to the elevators.

"Yep!" he chirped, "What floor?"

"67, please," she laughed, "You're lucky because you get my unofficial official Wayne Enterprises tour. Maybe someday, this company will be yours."

He puffed out his chest and put a serious look on his face, "I'll be just like Bruce!"

The elevator let out a soft chime and the doors slid open. Lily walked calmly onto the bustling floor, head held high and back straight. Dick carefully followed her through the crowd of people, making sure to keep watching where she walked. Employees seemed to make make a path for her, nodding as she walked by.

The brunette walked up to the Head of Accounting's office and rapped two sharp knocks onto the smooth wooden door.

"This better be important," a man growled, throwing open the door.

"I need these signed by the end of the day and on my desk. No ifs, ands, or buts," she drawled, holding out a file for him, "Am I clear?"

"Crystal," he spat, yanking it from her hands, "Now get off my floor."

"With pleasure," she shot back instantly.

Lily was silent until they got into the elevator. Dick tugged on her hand which made her look down at him, face softening.

"Why was that man so mean to you?"

"Some people in this company don't like me because Mr. Fox trusts me over them," she shrugged, "I'm honest and they're not. That's all there is to it."

"Does that happen a lot?"

"Don't worry about it, okay?" Lily ran a hand over his hair and offered him a smile, "Now, let's go to the marketing floor. Lizzy is super nice."

The board meeting still hadn't commenced by the time lunch rolled around so Lily decided to take Dick to Beans. He was a really cute kid, even if he was super energetic. He was practically bouncing off the walls half the time and she was getting slow in her old age.

Just kidding. She just didn't have enough coffee in order to survive.

"What do you want, kiddo?" Lily asked, carding her fingers through his hair as he inspected the menu.

"I'm going to have to go with the grilled cheese," he answered solemnly.

"Ah yes," she chuckled, "Such a sophisticated dish."

"Hey Meg, one Flower Special and grilled cheese with-" Dick tugged on her skirt before whispering up to her, "Chocolate milk."

"With a chocolate milk," Lily grinned.

"Did you adopt a child and not inform me?" Meg raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Nope. Meg, meet my boss's son, Dick Grayson."

Meg's eyes widened before she smirked, "Mhmm. I see how it is."

"Eat sh-"

"Little ears!"

Lily rolled her eyes before passing her a twenty. The redhead gave her a cheeky grin before handing her the receipt and change. Lily blew her a kiss as she led Dick to sit at one of the tables outside.

"Alright, Mr. Grayson. You may be wondering why I called this meeting. I have very serious questions for you. To start off, what is your favorite color?" Lily said in a mock formal tone making Dick laugh.

"Blue, but don't tell Bruce that. He thinks it's red."

"Anything you tell me here will not leave this place. Cross my heart and swear to die. Now, what is your favorite hobby?"

"Gymnastics!" he cheered.

"Wow! That's so cool! How long have you done gymnastics?"

His face fell and Lily instantly regretted asking, "You don't have to tell me, Dick."

"My parents and I….we were in the circus, the Flying Grayson's. The mob boss Zucco had the wires break and my parents fell. Bruce was there that day and took me in."

"You still miss them, of course," she spoke softly, "It gets easier. I promise."

His head shot up and he frowned, "You lost your parents?"

"In a way, yes."

They fell silent as their food came but Dick broke it a few minutes later with a seemingly innocent question, "Lily, do you think Bruce is handsome?"

The brunette choked on her coffee before coughing and giving him a bewildered look. Just as she was about to respond, someone bumped into their table, spilling her coffee. Luckily, she jumped up in time so it didn't spill on her dress.

"¡Oye! ¿Quién te crees que eres?" she shouted and a messy black haired man spun around, facing the angry latina.

"My apologies, ma'am. I wasn't looking where I was go-Miss Rosen!" he exclaimed.

"Dr. Crane," Lily nodded, "Good to see you again."

"I'm terribly sorry about your coffee, I can buy you a new one!" he offered, grabbing her hand. She ripped it from his grasp and shook her head.

"I'm good, thank you for the offer," Lily looked uncomfortable so Dick quickly hopped up and tugged on her skirt.

"Lily, I'm not feeling too well. Can we go back to the office?" he asked, pulling out his puppy dog eyes.

"Of course, sweetheart. Come on," Lily grasped his hand, "Nice to see you, Dr. Crane."

"You can call me Jonathan," he smirked and she nodded harshly before hurrying to the company car she borrowed that was parked on the street. The minute he was settled in the backseat and she was in the driver's seat, she let out a deep breath, grasping the wheel tightly in her hands.

"Was that man harassing you?" Dick piped up.

"Don't worry about it. It's just adult stuff," she sighed, "How are you feeling?"

Her only response from him was a smirk.

"You're an evil genius."

"I know."

A/N: wow! Thank you so much for the amazing reception for Lily so far. I hope you all continue to enjoy her story because this is just the beginning to her story. :) Thank you so much and please keep letting me know what you think! It honestly makes my day.


	6. Chapter 6

Lily found a gift on her desk four days later. She scowled, seeing the paper crane sticking out of the bouquet of lilies on her desk. Without even looking, she swiftly deposited it into the trash can next to her desk. Jonathan had leered after her when she worked at Arkham, but stopped when she transferred to Wayne Enterprises. He was too creepy for her.

Way too creepy.

Dr. Crane had been nice when she first started working at Arkham but soon, his attention became affection and he started to leer after her. The only reason she stayed was the pay. However, the day she bumped into Mr. Fox she had been contemplating quitting after a particularly uncomfortable advancement made by Jonathan.

"Ex-boyfriend?" Mr. Fox asked amusedly.

"More like, a guy that wants to be my boyfriend and I want him to be seven hundred feet away," she stated as she rolled her eyes, "Board meeting today?"

"I'm sorry but I need you to sit in on this one," he said and she sighed, gathering her notepad, pens, and laptop. Her job during board meetings was to take down information so Lucius could reread them at a later time. Her job had manifested into some show for the board members. They had quickly adapted into this sort of ideology that she was a poor, simpering assistant who was there for show. She got coffee, got felt up, and got angrier and angrier. Lucius would shoot the men with death glares, but they never heeded any mind.

They entered the elevator silently and Lily checked over the bundle of things in her arms to make sure she had everything. Her fingers drummed nervously on her leg as she waited for the elevator doors to open. She hated these meetings.

Almost as much as she hated the men in the meetings.

The brunette took her regular seat in the corner and prayed that this would hurry up. She opened her laptop and busied herself with setting up a document to ignore the suits coming in. A hand brushed her shoulder and she flinched, looking up. Bruce was frowning when he saw her shoulders jerk at his touch.

"Are you alright?" he asked and she nodded, putting on a fake smile.

"Never better, sir," she said.

He nodded, not at all convinced by her acting. Deciding to push his concern to the side, he took his seat at the board and started a conversation with Lucius in order to ignore the stuffy men around the table. Once they were all there and about to start, Mr. Debney called for Lily. She dutifully came to stand next to them, notepad ready.

"I need a coffee. Two sugars, no cream, and uh...maybe a special treat from you?" he winked, hand traveling dangerously low on her back. Lily wrenched herself out of his grasp to the laughter of the men. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and studied her shoes as she walked out to go get coffee.

April gave her an empathetic look as she scuffed the toe of her heel into the ground, waiting for the coffee to pour. Lily had half a heart to spit in it but decided not to. When she returned, it wasn't without having a hand pat her ass, not so discreetly.

"Ms. Rosen, you may leave us," Bruce said calmly.

Her head shot up as did the board member's. They all stared at him in shock and Lily darted her eyes over to Mr. Fox who was amusedly watching Bruce.

"I have some papers you need to file on my desk. Please have it done before the meeting is done," Bruce added and Lily took one glance at his hands. The pen he held between his hands was in tatters and his fingers flexed in anger.

"Y-yes, sir. Right away," she said, hurrying to collect her things.

Within minutes, she was in his office and frowned at his spotless desk. What papers was he talking about?

_Oh_, she realized. A smile danced along her lips as a laugh bubbled in her chest, spilling out into the silence of his office and she allowed herself a moment to collect her thoughts. Lily went back to her desk and froze at the sight of the package on her desk.

_To: the lovely Ms. Rosen_

Her azure eyes darted around the room. How did this get past security? She was supposed to pick up all her mail from the office on the first floor. Hesitantly, her fingers hovered over the crudely wrapped brown paper. Her mind was a battlefield, _open it or call security?_ The phone rang, breaking her out of her reverie.

"Lily Rosen, secretary to Mr. Fox and Mr. Wayne, how may I help you?" the brunette answered, focused on calming her breathing.

"Ms. Rosen? This is Geno from the security office on the first floor. We've got a man here demanding he see Mr. Wayne. Says it's about business and a lawsuit?"

"What's the name?"

"An Oswald Cobblepot."

Lily shut her eyes, huffing out a breath of annoyance through her nostrils. Cobblepot had been a thorn in her side since the minute he came in to see Mr. Fox.

"Send him up, but be ready to get a call from me requesting security," she said.

Steeling herself, Lily approached the board room again and entered, all eyes turning to her.

"Mr. Wayne, Mr. Cobblepot is requesting a meeting with you. He says it's urgent. Shall I keep him in your office until you can meet with him?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you," he offered her a tight smile. They both knew how obnoxious Oswald Cobblepot is. This would not be an enjoyable meeting.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mr. Cobblepot, pleasure to see you again. Mr. Wayne will be joining us once his meeting has ended," Lily gestured for the tuxedo clad man to take a seat, "Would you like anything to eat? Drink?"

"Coffee. No sugars, no cream," he snapped.

Lily nodded and excused herself, going to the machine outside. She rolled her eyes to April who giggled and then went back to Mr. Wayne's office.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Cobblepot?" she asked, setting his coffee down in front of him.

"No."

"May I ask what this meeting is pertaining to?"

"Your boss," he spat, "is trying to get the Iceberg Lounge shut down by claiming we aren't up to the health code!"

"That's interesting," Lily hummed, briefly recalling her filing of the said report.

"We are very up to code, I'll assure you! Your boss will know that once I sue him!"

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Bruce had more money than Lily could fathom. Even if Cobblepot sued him, he would be fine.

"What?! You think I won't do it?!" he screeched.

Lily took a step back, wishing she could blend into the walls right then and there. Cobblepot was known to lash out and right now, he was closer to the phone. She couldn't call security without the fear of him grabbing her.

"No, sir. I'm just, of course, curious. I've never been involved in legal proceedings before," she babbled out, keeping her breathing calm.

"I bet not when Bruce Wayne can do anything for you!" he mocked.

He rose and Lily took another step back, feeling the cool glass against her. She couldn't get any farther from him.

"Mr. Cobblepot, please calm down," she said firmly, straightening her shoulders and squaring her jaw.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!"

Just like that, she was dragged into her memories.

"_Michael! Calm down! Please, you'll wake the girls."_

"_Shut up! Shut up and don't you tell me to calm down!"_

_Lily was shaking as she hugged Nadia close to her, hiding her little sister's face from the sight of their parents fighting. It wasn't as if they hadn't already seen things like it. Whenever Mama wasn't home, Papa used them as his punching bag. He never hit them when she was home._

"_Don't fucking yell at me. I've seen the bruises on the girls and I've decided enough is enough," Mama hissed._

_Her dark brown hair flew around her face as she glared at Papa. Blue clashed with brown and time seemed to freeze. Papa raised his fist and let it collide with her cheek. Lily gasped and pulled Nadia closer as she started to cry._

"_Think happy thoughts, Nady," Lily whispered._

_There were no happy thoughts that night. Lily saw the gun be pulled from her father's waistband and she flew into action, shoving Nadia deeper into their closet turned bedroom before she barrelled out, throwing all of the strength in her tiny body into his legs._

"_NO!" she screamed, pummelling his legs with her tiny fists._

"_Liliana! Go!" Mama cried, wrestling Papa for the gun._

_It flew off to the side. Her parents kept throwing punches and Lily spun around, seeing her father raise one of the kitchen knives._

_BANG! Lily shut her eyes and felt arms wrap around her, pulling her into a safe embrace._

"_Liliana, mija valiente. Lo siento. Lo siento," Mama whispered soothingly, "We need to pack your bags and leave."_

"_And go where?" Lily whimpered, not opening her eyes._

"_Gotham, mija. No one can hurt you there."_

_Lily nodded and finally let her eyelids flutter open._

_Her father laid there on the kitchen floor, blood pooling around his stomach as his navy eyes stared at the ceiling. Her eyes._

"You are NOTHING!" Cobblepot screamed and Lily ducked in time, avoiding a face full of hot coffee. Some still splashed on her and she yelped, rolling away from the spill. She picked herself up and narrowed her eyes. He was moving closer to her, but moving farther from the phone. If she could just run to it….

"What is going on in here?" Bruce's deep voice boomed as the door flew open. He quickly strode in between them and faced Oswald.

"Your secretary needs to learn some manners," Cobblepot sneered.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Wayne. He started yelling and I froze. I-I'm so sorry to disrupt your meeting," Lily stuttered out.

"Lily, none of this is your fault. I'm calling security," Bruce pressed the code on the phone dock and waited for the intercom to crackle.

"Security. Is there an emergency?"

"This is Mr. Wayne. I need some guards up here to remove Mr. Cobblepot from my office and ban him from ever coming back."

"Right away, sir."

"How dare you?" Oswald screeched, getting right in Mr. Wayne's face.

"How dare I? How dare you?! You assault my assistant, you scream at her, and you disrupt my working environment. If I ever see or hear that you have been in this building, I will remove you myself. You will _never_ even speak to Ms. Rosen again, am I understood?" the raw, terrifying power in Mr. Wayne's voice made Cobblepot's face drain of whatever color he had left. Bruce didn't raise his voice, not at all. The low timbre tumbled through the room with sheer power.

As the security officers removed Cobblepot, Bruce made his way to Lily's side. She was shaking violently and her breathing came out in sharp intervals.

"Ms. Rosen. Lily," he rested a hand on her waist, making her look up at him. His blue eyes were kind as he led her to sit in his chair and she turned her face to look at the floor. His other hand came to rest on her elbow as he crouched down.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, sir," she whispered.

"Lily," he said in a warning tone.

"All he did was throw coffee at me. I've had worse, sir."

Her comment made him freeze and she shut her eyes, fighting back tears. She rose, pulling herself out of his grasp.

"Excuse me, sir. I hope you don't mind if I take the rest of the day off. I need some time."

He nodded and watched her walk out of his office, a hint of sadness in his eyes. He walked out to ask April to take over Lily's duties for the day and frowned at the package sitting on her desk. His fingers ran over the brown packaging and he froze.

_Scarecrow._


	8. Chapter 8

It was silent in the office. Bruce kept looking at her, she knew it, but Lily kept her head down and typed away on her computer. He said good morning when she first came in, but Lily couldn't bring herself to greet him. Instead, she downed coffee after coffee in the hope that she could stay awake. She hadn't slept at all the night before, instead opting to eat her weight in ice cream and watching infomercials.

The bags under her eyes gave away to the obvious exhaustion she was attempting to power through. Lily decided to rest her eyes for five minutes, just a quick five minutes. She didn't expect to be shaken awake by Bruce half an hour later.

"Go home, you're in no shape to work today," he ordered.

"I'm fine," she muttered.

"Miss Rosen that is an order," he practically growled.

She flinched as if she had been struck and nodded, moving to pack up her stuff. He went into his office yet watched her every step to make sure she left.

Lily knew where she needed to go. She boarded the Wayne Monorail and sighed, watching the passing city outside the window. Her eyes may not have been at attention, but she was always careful on the train to make sure no one tried to attack her. She swallowed past the lump in her throat as the train came to a stop at her station. Gotham City Women's Correctional Facility loomed over her and with a steadying breath, she walked in.

"Hi, I'm here to see Estela Rodriguez?" she said to the guard, "I'm her daughter, Liliana Rosen."

"ID," the guard drawled and Lily handed her the driver's license clutched in her hand. The guard wrote her information down and nodded, leading her to meet another guard. She rattled off all the things Lily couldn't do or say while she numbly nodded. She was used to this.

Lily sat waiting at the booth when her mom sat down in front of her. It had been two years since she had last been here. Estela's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her oldest daughter. They grabbed the phones at the same time and Lily shakily held hers up to her ear.

"Hola, mama," she gave her a tearful smile.

"Mija, you look so grown up and beautiful and professional," Estela gasped, "What's wrong, my darling?"

"Mama I thought I moved on. I thought I was over it and then I was attacked at work and suddenly, it's like I'm back. All I see is him," she sobbed, covering her mouth with a trembling hand.

"Mija, it's done. I did what I did and he can no longer hurt you," her mother pressed her free hand to the glass. Lily did the same, smiling weakly.

She sat there for her thirty minutes and just talked about everything. About Bruce and Dick and the company. About Nadia and school and her apartment. Lily missed her mom, missed being able to hug her and see her everyday.

"Te amo, mija," Estela waved, "Visit soon."

"I promise," Lily nodded, being led out by a guard. Her eyes were downcast as she exited the prison.

"_Mama, why are those men following us?" Lily whispered, catching the two men's figures out of the corner of her eye._

"_Just keep walking," Estela ordered, "Go, take Nadia. Don't go with anyone you don't know and don't trust anyone. I need you to be brave."_

"_Okay, mama. Te amo," Lily wrapped her small arms around her waist._

"_Te amo," Estela pressed a kiss to her and Nadia's head, "Now, go."_

_When Lily turned around again, it was to see her mother in handcuffs being forced into a police car. A policeman started to follow them and Lily picked up the pace until she was practically running. The policeman called for them to stop but Lily ducked into the alley, shoving Nadia under some cardboard and then tucking herself in next to her. Since they had moved to Gotham, they had lived on the streets. Her mom couldn't get a job in fear that someone from Blüdhaven would find her._

"_Girls, I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to help," the cop yelled._

_Lily pressed deeper into their hiding place and the cardboard shifted slightly. She swore under her breath, wrapping her small body around Nadia. The cardboard was lifted and she shrunk back, staring up at the man._

"_Liliana and Nadia Rodriguez? I'm Detective Gordon. I'm here to take you to safety," he looked kind and gave them a reassuring smile. He held his hand out and Lily flinched back, squeezing Nadia closer to her._

_Gordon's smile dropped and he reached for his radio, "I need a female officer over here in the alleyway. I suspect the Rodriguez sisters have been abused and will not trust men. May explain why Estela ran."_

_Nadia began to cry and ten year old Lily shushed her, "Nady, it'll all be okay."_

_When the lady officer came over, she wrapped the two girls and blankets and led them to a patrol car with the promise of cookies and clean clothes. Lily sat in the back of the car, staring at her hands when she heard it._

"_Estela Rodriguez charged in the murder of Michael Rosen."_

_But it wasn't Mama's fault._

Lily was snapped out of her thoughts by her phone ringing. She frowned at the unknown number and quickly answered with a, "Liliana Rosen, secretary to Mr. Wayne and Mr. Fox. How may I be of assistance today?"

"Hi, yes. I am Julia Carlson, head of Gotham Academy's elementary education. I tried to get in contact with Mr Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth and both haven't picked up. You are listed as the next contact. I'm calling about Richard Grayson."

"What seems to be the problem?"

"He went outside for recess and never came inside. We're afraid he's run away."

With that, Lily's heart dropped.

A/N: ahh thank you so much for the great reception for Lily! Since someone asked: Lily's faceclaim is Karla Souza and Bruce's is Matt Bomer! I wanted to stray from the usual plot of the movies so I didn't want a faceclaim attached to the movies.


	9. Chapter 9

"Jessica, you need to pull Mr. Wayne out of his meeting _now,_" Lily barked over the phone as she weaved her way through the people crowding the sidewalk. Her heels clacked loudly on the pavement, signaling to a few people to move aside as she burst through the crowd.

"Why? You're not here, Lily. You don't control what we do," the newer assistant sassed.

"Mr. Wayne's son is missing so unless you want to inform him as to why he wasn't notified right away because you were being an insubordinate brat, be my guest," the brunette snapped, "But don't you dare expect me to save your ass!"

"I'll go pull him out now."

Lily was making her way to the closest park, searching frantically for Dick. She babbled his description to a few parents who sadly told her that they hadn't seen him.

"Lily? I thought I gave you the day off," Bruce's smooth voice came over the line.

"I got a call from Dick's school. He ran away. Is there any place you know where he could go? Any reason?"

"A park? Maybe the circus...where are you?" his voice grew tight and she recognized it briefly as fear.

"At a park near the Academy. You said the circus? That's a twenty minute walk from here."

"Lily, stay there. I'll come pick you up."

"Hurry," she let out a shuddering breath. Why did Dick think it was sensible to run off when he was a young kid in a dark, dangerous city? Within minutes, a sleek silver colored Lamborghini pulled up next to her. Of course, Bruce Wayne would have a million dollar car. She hurried to the passenger side and got in, strapping on the seat belt quickly.

"I got a call from his school that he never came back in. Why would he run off?" she yelped out hurriedly.

"Today is the anniversary of his parent's death."

Her heart dropped. She knows exactly what it feels like to lose parents, although her's was a different story. They got closer to the run down circus and Lily couldn't stop fidgeting. She felt something rest on her hands and her fingers instantly wrapped around it. She looked down and saw Bruce's hand holding hers. Her eyes darted up to his face, where she could see he was tense and nervous by the clench of his jaw and the hard look in his eyes. Hesitantly, she ran her thumb in a calming circular pattern over his skin.

"We'll find him," she whispered.

The second the car stopped, they both hurled themselves out. The circus hadn't been in use for a year and Gotham had transformed it into a dilapidated, dark mess.

"We should split up to cover more ground," Lily suggested.

"There could be looters or dangerous people around here," he protested with a shake of his head.

"I have pepper spray, I'll be fine," she offered him a soft smile and quickly walked off.

"DICK!" she called.

Her attention was drawn towards the rundown big top that was close to collapsing and she cautiously walked in. Her fingers traced over the dusty, weather beaten tarp that made up the big top. Her heels sunk slightly in the dirt floor and she was sweaty, chest heaving from the running around she was doing, but she paid no mind to it once she heard the quiet sobs coming from the corner.

"Dick?" she said softly.

The young boy's head shot up and he scrambled back, eyes wide in fear.

"No, no. It's okay. I'm not mad or anything. I was just worried about you," Lily's voice was soothing as she took a step forward. Dick stopped moving and he froze still, letting her reach him. Lily kneeled down, not caring if her dress got dirty. She was never a sentimental person in the first place.

Lily hesitantly reached out and pulled him into a hug, letting his tears soak her coat and she rubbed a comforting hand up and down his back.

"It gets easier," she promised, "Some days hurt more than others, but it will always get easier." With shuddering, gasping sobs, Dick clung to her like she was his lifeline.

"Dick, it's freezing out here. Let's get you back to Bruce and home. You need to be with Alfred and Bruce, okay?"

He nodded again and she scooped him, letting him curl up into her side. She dialed Bruce's number as she walked to the car and sighed leaning against it. Dick had stopped shaking and when she craned her neck to look at him, she saw his eyelids drooping.

"What's wrong? Did you find him? Are you okay?" Bruce spoke hurriedly.

"I have him. We're at the car," her voice was quiet, "Hurry."

Within seconds, Bruce was at their side. Panic was painted across his normally composed features, but it soon turned to relief once he saw Dick in her arms.

"Is he okay?" he asked and she nodded, "I think you need to talk to him when he's slept it off."

He ushered her into the car and Bruce motioned for her to hand over Dick but she just shook her head. Once Bruce started to drive towards the manor, he looked over to see her gently running her fingers through Dick's hair while slightly rocking him.

"I know a good therapist if you want her number. I-I sent my sister there when she started having panic attacks."

Her eyes held something that he couldn't pick out. It was like she was reliving her own past. He took one hand off the wheel and placed it on her shoulder. Her head shot up and startled blue eyes turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry for having to leave work early," she whispered.

"If I recall correctly, I asked you to leave."

"It was incredibly unprofessional of me to show up in such a state."

"Lily, what Cobblepot was inexcusable. You are allowed to be upset about it, but there's something you're not telling me."

She turned her head to look out the windshield, her hair falling in her face and obscuring his view of her.

"That's not something to be discussed around a child," she responded, voice hoarse.


	10. Chapter 10

Lily found herself in the Wayne Mansion kitchen, a cup of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies in front of her as she waited for Bruce and Alfred to come back down from putting Dick to bed.

She was fidgeting in her seat, knowing that she owed Bruce an explanation. She wouldn't tell him everything, however. Her phone buzzed and she glanced down to see a text from Nadia.

Her little sister was the reason she woke up and went to bed every day. She was the reason why Lily hadn't given up. Lily was determined to give her a good life.

Nadia was a spunky nineteen year old who wanted to be a doctor desperately. Her one dream in life was to help people. Nadia excelled in school and was a track and cross country star, being part of University of Metropolis' teams.

Lily had been there for her at every graduation, every event, every milestone. She was a parent and a sister to Nadia.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the heavy thud of shoes entering the kitchen. Lily stared down at her hands but glanced up when a glass of water was placed before her.

Alfred stared at her sadly, placing a hand over hers. She blinked up at him through dark lashes and sighed.

"I've seen that look in your eyes before on other people. You can trust Master Wayne. He'll understand," the Brit told her softly.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I'll be in the living room if you need anything."

Alfred walked out, leaving her alone once again, but not for long.

Exhaustion and stress painted Bruce's features. His blue eyes flickered over to her and he offered the tiniest of smiles.

"He's fine for now. I will take you up on that therapist though," his voice was gruff as he sat down across from her.

Silence ensued, but Lily couldn't bring herself to speak.

"You don't owe me an explanation," he eventually said.

"I do. I owe you one. Mr. Fox knows and you're my boss too so you should know."

Lily took a deep breath before speaking again, "My mother worked three jobs just to keep us afloat and my father was never home during the days. The rare times he was home, he would beat my sister and I till we were black and blue.

"When I was eleven, my mother shot my father point blank and we went on the run. Gotham PD caught her two months after we started living on the streets.

"My sister and I lived with an officer and his wife for a bit but they had some kids of their own and couldn't take care of us for much longer. When I was thirteen, my sister Nadia and I were placed in foster care. We were bounced from house to house until one day, we were placed with a couple who were more interested in shooting heroin rather than feeding us. I left, taking Nadia with me and we lived on the streets for a year until some people at a homeless shelter took us in. I worked all night and made sure Nadia and I went to school all day. When I turned eighteen, I jumped at an opportunity to work at Arkham. Mr Fox hired me two years later.

I did some things when living on the streets that I'm not proud of. I stole small things like toothpaste and food, I ate trash some days so Nadia could eat, I fought to protect her."

"Did you ever sell drugs or...yourself?"

She shook her head quickly, "No, never. Nadia said she would rather starve and I would too."

It was quiet as he took in all that information. There was nothing stated in her file about foster homes, but Bruce guessed that was Lucius' doing.

"I-I understand if you don't want me to work at Wayne Enterprises anymore. It's a prestigious company and I'm just a girl that was picked off the street. I have no credentials, I've done some bad things, I-"

"Lily," his voice was firm, "You will be staying at Wayne Enterprises. You are the most efficient assistant I've ever had and the most hardworking. Yes, you've made some mistakes in the past, but look at the person you are today. You should be proud of yourself."

In a rare move by him, he slipped his hand into hers, squeezing gently. She hesitantly responded by interlacing her fingers with his.

"Your strength, resilience, and intelligence is the reason why I need you by my side."

A soft sob bubbled past her lips. Bruce was struck with the realization that she had probably been keeping this all in for years. His arm encircled her shoulders and he crouched down so he could see her face, tilting her chin up with one hand so her brilliant blue eyes that were welling up with tears could face his own.

"Thank you for telling me this," he spoke softly, something only she, Dick, and Alfred have ever heard.

Bruce was torn. He wanted to keep her safe, he knew he needed to distance himself from her. Yet, every time she spoke or laughed or cried, he wanted it to only be with him. He was so selfish for wanting to see her, touch her, to hold her and never let go.

He would bring pain to her life. Batman would bring death and fear to her.

However, it seemed that life had already given her enough of her own to deal with. So tonight he would hold her in his arms and let her know that it would all be okay.

Maybe it was an attempt to comfort himself too.


	11. Chapter 11

The night in the kitchen was seemingly forgotten the next day when they came into the office. Lily had dark bags under her eyes that no amount of makeup was helping with and she had a cup of coffee clutched in her hand like it was her lifeline.

As she approached her desk, she let out a groan at the sight of flowers and a package on her desk.

"To: darling Lilybud. From: Dr. Crane. Doesn't this creep know when to give up?!" she growled, throwing the flowers in the trash after she read the card.

"Trouble in paradise?" Mr Fox asked once he and Bruce stepped out of his office.

"There is no paradise sir. Dr. Crane, however, seems to think there is," Lily spat, "I need to go deliver this package to security to check if there's rohypnol or something in it."

"Here. Let me," Bruce intercepted it smoothly, "I was just heading down to get my car anyways."

"Thank you," she nodded.

That was it. No brief touches, no eyes meeting, nothing.

"Miss Rosen, will you visit the planning division and confirm the plans for the Wayne Gala?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, sir. Right away," she nodded, grabbing her laptop and notepad. She trailed behind them to the elevators but took the second one instead of theirs. She flipped through the notes on the gala.

The annual Wayne Gala was to celebrate the achievements of Wayne Enterprises and their employees. Lily's job was to assist in planning it yet she had finals coming up so she was packed double time. She didn't have time to eat or sleep, only work.

"Good morning, Miss Rosen," Mary greeted her once she walked onto the floor.

"Good morning, Mary," she smiled gently. Lily had a soft spot for assistants and secretaries, being one herself.

Mary directed her towards the boardroom and Lily adjusted her skirt, throwing her head back before she strode into the room.

She had the power to veto things and decide things, something unusual for her because normally, she was the one taking orders. As they were discussing beverage arrangements, the meeting door opened. All heads shot towards the door where Alfred and Dick were walking in.

"Excuse me for a second," Lily stood, walking towards the two.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Rosen. Master Dick had a panic attack at school and wouldn't calm down. Master Wayne is still in his meeting with Mr Fox so I figured you could help."

"Of course," Lily nodded, "It's no problem at all."

She led Dick over to sit next to her at the table and brushed some of his messy dark hair out of his eyes.

"We adjourn for lunch in an hour. Did you bring your backpack?"

Dick nodded and shrugged it off his shoulders, pulling out some math work to do. Lily turned her attention back to the table and raised an eyebrow at all the shocked faces staring at them.

"Have we decided the rosé or zinfandel yet?" she asked.

When lunch was called and everyone promised to meet back in an hour, Lily held her hand out for Dick to take while she sent a quick message to Bruce and Mr Fox, letting them know that she and Dick were going to Beans. Bruce promptly responded that he would join them in a few minutes.

Beans was a short walk from the tower and while they walked, Lily let Dick babble about anything and everything in hopes to get his mind off his parents death. She nodded absentmindedly as she listened, eyes following the traffic. They crossed the street and as they approached Beans, Lily's eyes locked onto something.

"Dick, go into the cafe now. Tell the woman behind the counter that I told you to talk to her," she ordered.

"Lily, what's wrong?"

"Now," she snapped, voice dark and cold, something he had never heard of before.

He scurried in and she balled her hands into fists, approaching the man that was leaning against the alley wall.

"Have you gotten my flowers and gifts?" Dr. Jonathan Crane smiled as she walked closer.

"You need to stay the fuck away from me. I have no desire to see you ever and I made that clear when I worked at Arkham," she crossed her arms and widened her stance, ready to defend herself if needed.

"Liliana…"

"Dr. Crane, do not," she snarled, "You made my life a living hell. You're lucky you have connections or my restraining order would have gone through."

His hand grabbed her upper arm and she pulled back but for a smaller guy, he was strong as hell. He spun her around and slammed her into the cool brick wall.

"You should be honored that I am so enamoured with you, Miss Rosen. I can give you the world. I can make you the Queen of Gotham. I can give you anything I want."

"Let me go!" she spat in his face, struggling to get out of his grip.

"Join me, Liliana, and when war befalls on Gotham, I will keep you safe."

"War?"

His chill dipped fingers danced down her cheeks and Lily sucked in a shuddering breath, eyes shutting in an attempt to block him out.

"Yes, my flower, war. I will take down the Batman and anyone who dares to defy me," his hand gripped her wrist tightly. She knew there would be bruises later.

"Batman will stop you. Batman will always stop you. You're a deranged, sick man who needs to stay the HELL away from me!"

Crane was ripped off of her and Lily inhaled sharply, knees giving out. She gripped the bricks, turning to see her savior.

Bruce was standing in between them, shoulders tense and jaw tight. Crane scrambled back at the sight of him, making Lily's eyes widen in shock.

"She told you to get away from her," Bruce growled. There was something so familiar about the situation, but she couldn't put her finger on it. All she could focus on at the moment was how her hands shook. Memories of her father flashed before her eyes, but she quickly shook them off.

She didn't even realize that Crane had disappeared until a hand landed on her shoulder. Lily yanked back, eyes wild and hands up to protect herself from a hit. Her eyes met Bruce's and he stared at her with concern.

"I'm sorry. It just reminded me of...things," she shook her head, taking his hand so he could help her stand.

"Maybe you should go home," he offered and she raised her hand to cut him off.

"I am planning this gala, damnit," she gave him a weak smile and his eyes flickered down to her bruised wrist.

"Lily-"

"I'm fine."

Later that night, when she was hurriedly writing down notes for her molecular biology class and trying to ignore the ache in her wrist, the fluttering of a cape caught her ears.

"I was wondering when you would show up again," she commented dryly, not even glancing up, "Would you like a cup of coffee or something?"

Batman merely grunted from the dark corner of her apartment that he was in. Her eyes glanced down next to him before she raised them to focus on his pointy ears.

"No sidekick tonight?" she teased.

"School night," he said simply in his rough, gravelly tone, "I hear you were attacked today."

"Yeah," her voice softened and she glanced down at her wrists, angry purple fingerprints embedded in her skin.

"What did he say?"

"He said a war was coming, one that you wouldn't be able to stop. What did he mean by that? Who is he, really?"

"His name is Scarecrow, one you have probably heard on the streets. He's latched onto you and you're not safe here."

"I don't think anyone is safe living in the Narrows," she snorted.

"Do you have anyone to stay with?"

"My sister lives in Metropolis, my mother is in jail. So, no. I don't."

"Your boss."

"I'm not pulling Mr. Wayne into this. I'm especially not getting Dick involved. He's just a kid."

Her voice held a fondness when she spoke of the child, as if she was a mother gushing with pride for her very own son. A small smile quirked at the edges of her lips and she shook her head, going to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"Wayne's child?"

"He reminds me of my sister when she was a kid. I tried my best to keep her innocent but that's hard to do on the streets. I failed her then, so I'm vowing to protect Dick," she shrugged.

Bruce's eyes flickered over her form briefly, admiring how relaxed she looked outside her work clothes. Her naturally curly hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail with tendrils of hair falling around her face.

"Miss Rosen, most people would run screaming from the very sight of me. Why not you?"

She smirked, curling up in one of her kitchen chairs with the coffee mug clutched tightly in her hands.

"You're not scary if you're not trying to beat me up. I've seen dangerous men do dangerous things. You only hurt those who hurt others."

"Others don't share that sentiment."

"They're ignorant to how desperate this city has gotten. Murderers, rapists, and robbers prowl the streets but everyone is more focused on what girl Bruce was with or who ordered caviar at dinner. They don't see the pain in this city, but they also don't see the healers."

"Stay safe out there, Miss Rosen," he said finally.

She nodded, raising her coffee cup in acknowledgment. She turned to start writing notes again and when she looked up, he had disappeared without a trace.


	12. Chapter 12

"This is the last time I put Henderson in charge of flowers," Lily growled as she rearranged the bouquets around the room.

She stepped back and examined her masterpiece, nodding in affirmation to herself. Her hands ran over the dark blue fabric of her dress to smooth out any creases she may have received in her quest of fixing the flowers.

Mr. Fox had forced her to buy a nice dress and when she protested over the frivolity of it all, he simply said that she needed to treat herself and handed her his credit card. He ordered her to buy something worth at least two hundred dollars or else she would have to attend two business meetings with him.

She caved.

Her hair was pinned up elegantly and her makeup wasn't heavily done. The only thing she had that stood out was the deep maroon lipstick that painted her lips. Her dress was off the shoulders and clung to her body, crystals trailing down the side. It fanned out at the bottom, letting her be able to walk easily. Tall, dark heels adorned her feet and they clicked along the ground as she paced around the room, doing final checks of Wayne Manor.

"Miss Rosen, it looks remarkable," Lucius chuckled when he came in and saw her eyes darting around the room.

"I just worry," she grinned, "The guests should be arriving soon."

"And I'm ordering you to enjoy this gala as much as one can stuffed in a room with all these people," Mr Fox said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"You are awful," she bemoaned. Lucius laughed outright and extended the crook of his arm for her to take. Lily graciously accepted it and they headed towards Alfred who was holding a tray of hors d'oeuvres.

"Miss Rosen, you truly look magnificent tonight," Alfred complimented.

"Thank you, Alfred. It's not often that I break out the fancy heels."

"Lily!" a small voice called out and she turned, barely readying herself for when Dick charged into her legs, almost knocking her down.

"iAy! Necesitas ser cuidadoso! No estoy tan fuerte como ti, muchacho," she chastised with a laugh.

"I don't speak Spanish, Lilyyyyy," he whined.

"Entonces, voy a enseñarte," she winked, making him pout in frustration. His pout was replaced with awe once he took her in, "You look pretty."

"Why thank you, kind sir. You look quite handsome yourself."

Dick puffed out his chest and displayed his tux to the three adults, "Bruce helped me."

"Speaking of Master Wayne, where is he?" Alfred asked, looking around the room as people started to come in.

"He came with Francesca," Dick spat and Lily raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Francesca?" she questioned.

"Some model he found," Dick replied flippantly, gesturing over by the staircase. Bruce had his arm wrapped around a leggy blonde who was practically clinging to him. The two seemed very wrapped up in each other.

Lily's heart, for some reason, sunk slightly at his words. How foolish she was to even fall for Bruce in the slightest. He was a playboy, through and through, and all she would be is his assistant.

"Well, looks like you have to hang out with me the entire time. Could you be so brave to spend your time with me?" Lily asked, dramatically clutching at her chest.

"I guess," he said with a serious face on before grabbing her hand, "C'mon! Let's avoid talking to the stuffy old people. They always pinch my cheeks."

Lily waved goodbye to Lucius and Alfred as she was dragged away by the hyperactive boy. Her time at the gala was spent schmoozing up rich folks and following Dick around. Eventually, when it got late, Lily carried the sleepy boy upstairs and handed him off to Alfred so he could get ready for bed. She had promised him that she would read him a story, even though he could read on his own.

Dick Grayson had wormed his way into her heart and had her wrapped around his finger. She would do anything and everything to keep him safe and happy. Once Alfred stepped out she came back into the room and grinned at Dick who held a book out for her. Lily gathered up the skirt of her dress and sat next to him, letting him curl up into her side.

"Alright. Let's see here. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I read this to my little sister when we were younger," Lily said with a fond smile playing on her lips, "Chapter one. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive…"

Three chapters later and Dick was out like a light. She slipped out of the bed and brought his cover up, tucking them around him. Lily placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and then smoothed his hair down.

"He's cuter when he's asleep, isn't he?"

She turned her head, spotting Bruce leaning against the doorframe. His expensive suit was fit perfectly to conform to his muscular figure. Her eyes danced over his frame before she snapped out of it. He had a date.

"Shouldn't you be with Francesca?" she asked.

"She was too clingy. Besides, I always say goodnight to Dick."

Lily nodded and walked out, intending on heading back to the party. Just as she reached the staircase, a hand wrapped around her arm and tugged her into the hall. She whirled around to find Bruce staring at her.

"Follow me," he ordered.

"Why? Where are we going?" she demanded, but she trailed after him anyways. He took a left at the end of the hall and entered what looked like the library. However, he led her to the balcony door and opened it, revealing the starry night above them.

"I have no desire to return to the party just yet. I figured you didn't want to either."

Lily wordlessly stepped out onto the balcony, her azure eyes transfixed on the nighttime sky.

"It's beautiful out here," she whispered.

"I used to come here all the time when I was younger before my parents…"

"I know," her voice became quiet, "I remember seeing it on the news."

He moved to stand closer to her and she turned to stare at him. It was like they were frozen in time. There was no Batman, no Scarecrow. No gala, no responsibilities. His eyes flickered towards her lips and once she realized what was going on, she instantly backed away.

"You have a date, Mr. Wayne," she said shortly, looking out on the lawn.

"Would you believe me if I told you it was all a lie?"

Her head cocked to the side, like a curious puppy, but she did not give in. Not yet.

"I have an image to uphold, an idea that people have in their minds. I give them what they want so they won't go after Dick, after the company," he lied slightly.

"So, you parade around women in public to make people attack you instead of Dick," she mused, "I call bullshit."

A small smile reached his lips at the sound of her swear and he shook his head before saying, "There are some things I can't tell you, Lily. Not yet, at least."

"Do you not trust me?"

"More like, I don't trust myself."

"That's understandable."

They let silence swallow them for a bit before she spoke up.

"What do you think of the Batman?"

Bruce was startled by the question. He didn't want to say anything and possibly slip up. She was a smart girl and clever as hell.

"What do you think?" he rebutted.

"I think he's the only person in this city who is actually making an effort to stop criminals. Are the streets safe? No, of course not. But, I think the people who were the underdogs before are finally taking charge of their own lives instead of living in fear. He's more than just a person, he's a symbol of hope. Especially to us living in the Narrows. I've seen so many kids pretending they're Batman. He may not be the only fix to the long list of problems Gotham has, but he is the beginning."

She said it all with such an air of nonchalance that he couldn't help but be enamored by how true her words were. The Bat was more than just him, it was a symbol. A symbol to put fear in the hearts of those who harmed and power in the souls of those who were harmed.

"I agree completely," he slid closer to her.

"I may be mistaken, sir, but I do believe that you are flirting with me." She stared up at him behind her thick lashes, cobalt eyes burning into his.

"You are not mistaken at all," he murmured, leaning closer to her. Her eyelids fluttered shut as his hand came to rest on her hip.

"Have I told you that you are the most beautiful woman here tonight?"

"You have not," she teased.

"It's true. You look amazing."

"Bruce?"

"Hmmm?"

"For the love of all things, just kiss me."

His lips barely brushed against her when the library doors opened. The jumped apart, awkwardly fixing their appearances.

Alfred approached them, looking at his watch.

"Miss Rosen, it's quite late and I'm sure you want to get home before it gets too dark," he said, a hint of apology in his tone.

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Alfred."

"Good night, Lily. Be safe out there," Bruce warned.

"Always am."

She gave him a brilliant smile and walked towards the door. Bruce opened his mouth but Alfred beat him to the punch.

"I already have the car ready for her and will be driving her myself. You and Master Dick have to get ready."

"Thank you, Alfred."


	13. Chapter 13

The minute the car stopped in front of her apartment, Lily sensed something was wrong. It was a gut feeling, but she had never been off about this before.

She had this same feeling the night she was attacked and Batman saved her. She had the feeling when Crane was at Beans.

"Alfred, stay here. If you hear anything, you call the police, okay? This could be nothing or this could be something bad," she muttered.

"Miss Rosen, what on Earth are you doing?" he hissed.

"It could be nothing," she said, eyes narrowed as she pulled pepper spray and a taser out of her purse before she set it on the floorboard.

Her heels sounded with an ominous clacking as she made her way towards the front door.

Lily turned the knob and it swung right open.

This was the Narrows, for Heaven's sake. She wasn't an idiot. She would never leave the door unlocked.

Lily turned to the car and motioned like she was making a call. Alfred hurriedly dialed what she hoped was the police. She figured it was best to just go back when a hand clamped over her mouth and another grabbed her arm and yanked her into the house. The door slammed shut behind her.

Lily thrashed about, slamming her elbow back and connecting with something. A pained groan came from whoever was holding her and they threw her down in the middle of her tiny living room.

Lily caught herself before she face planted and rolled to the side, her taser skidding along the ground. She cursed, reaching out to grab it when a hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled, dragging her back along the ground.

Three men armed with guns were glaring down at her and her eyes widened in fear and shock.

"Who the fuck are you?!" she cried.

"Be quiet, sweetheart," one man chuckled darkly, "Or this will be worse."

"Like hell," she snapped, raising her pepper spray.

This was how she was going to die, pathetically laying on her apartment floor in a ball gown, armed with pepper spray.

"We have explicit instructions to keep you alive, but he never said unharmed. If you don't comply, we'll have to teach you a lesson."

"Thanks, but I think I'm good."

She hooked her ankle around his and yanked, watching him tumble. Lily crawled towards her taser, but one of the men grasped her arm and pulled her up. He backed her up, slamming her back into the wall. The barrel of his gun dug into her chin and she froze, chest heaving.

"He said you're feisty," the man chuckled, moving one hand to stroke her cheek.

Lily responded by spitting in his face.

He swung his gun, connecting with her face. Lily gasped, clutching the side of her face as it stung.

"That's no way to treat a man," he cooed.

"You're no man," she choked out.

"Listen, bitch." His next punch landed on her side and she doubled over, coughing violently. He simply responded by kicking her so she was up against the wall again.

"I'm here because we were offered a hefty price to get you. I don't give two shits if you get there a little roughed up. So, if you don't shut your smart ass mouth up, I'll break your jaw."

"And I'll break you," the familiar gravelly voice made both their heads snap towards the corner.

One of the three men charged Batman, but Robin engaged him in a fight. The second man lunged for the Bat but he simply knocked him out with a swift blow to the head. The man that held Lily shoved her in front of him, gun to her temple.

"Let her go," Batman ordered.

Lily screwed her eyes shut, trying to recall anything she could remember from self defense class. The never really talked about what to do when a gun was pointed at you, which she now was realizing is a dumb decision.

She was brought back to reality when the man wrapped his arm around her neck, squeezing. She started to choke, stumbling as he dragged her back towards her fire escape, turning the gun to point at Batman.

"You move and she dies," he threatened.

Lily gained her footing and slammed her stiletto heel directly into the top of his foot, making him drop her. She sucked in a deep breath before grabbing his wrist and twisting it towards the ceiling. The gun fired into the plaster and then he dropped it when she twisted harder and slammed her knee into his gut and her elbow into his trachea.

He dropped and started to scramble for the gun but the Bat was there, heavy boot crushing the man's hand.

"Go! Get out!" Batman rasped and she didn't think twice. Like a bat out of hell, she burst from her front door, colliding straight with Alfred who was nervously pacing in front of the car.

"Miss Rosen!" he cried, "You're bleeding!"

Her shaking hand instinctively touched her face, feeling the sticky hot blood drip from her temple, cheek, nose, and lip.

"I am," she murmured and then the world went black.


	14. Chapter 14

A soft groan escaped Lily as her eyes started to flutter open. Her entire body ached and she winced when she tried to shift.

Where was she?

The room was white, pure white. People were shouting and talking rapidly. Her head spun and she couldn't figure out where she was.

"Miss Rosen," someone called, but it all sounded like she was under water. Her eyes darted around in panic until a hand landed on her shoulder. She jumped, crying out from the pain.

"Miss Rosen. You're safe. You're in the hospital."

Things started to clear out more and she focused on Alfred who was staring at her in concern.

"W-what happened?" she asked.

"You don't remember?" His frown grew deeper.

The Gala, coming home, the men.

"Holy shit," she exclaimed, sitting up quickly. Her entire body protested, but she paid no mind to it.

"Holy shit I almost died," she stuttered out, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes.

The kind butler wrapped his arms around her gently as she broke down, sobs tearing from her throat as her hunched over frame shook. All she could feel was the ghost of the gun barrel pointed at her head, the man's arm around her neck, how he dragged her across the floor and could have easily killed her right then and there.

Lily Rosen was completely and utterly terrified.

When her crying had subsided but her hands still shook, a doctor came in to speak to them.

"Nothing internal luckily...major bruising...split lip...a few stitches," the doctor droned on, but she couldn't focus. Lily stared at the cold linoleum floor, just wanting to leave.

"Miss Rosen, do you want to talk to the police tonight or tomorrow?" Alfred spoke quietly.

"Tomorrow please." She sounded so small, even to her own ears.

"Yes, of course," he nodded, "You will be staying at the manor until this all calms down."

"I can just stay at a hotel," she protested.

"Master Wayne himself has ordered it, Miss."

Lily fell silent as she was wheeled out to the car, the hospital citing it as policy. She played with her fingers, trying to distract herself from her thoughts. Alfred was worried by her heavy silence and kept glancing over on the drive home. Before they left the hospital, he had sent a quick message to Batman and Robin that it would be best if they came home early.

They could seek vengeance another night.

Bruce was up and pacing when they entered the Manor. He immediately came to her side, hesitantly brushing his fingers along her rapidly bruising cheek. His cobalt eyes grew hard at the sight of the tears welling in her own.

"Alfred, can you pull some of my sleepwear for Lily? I'm sure she isn't very comfortable in her dress."

"Right away, sir."

The second Alfred walked away, Bruce folded her into his arms. She sunk her head into the crook of his neck and just let herself relax. In his arms, she felt safe. Safe from harm, safe from Gotham, safe from her own mind. His hand ran up and down her back, reassuring her that he was there.

"You're safe here," he murmured, as if he was reading her mind.

"I know," she said faintly.

Reluctantly, she pulled away when Alfred came back down, carrying a stack of clothes in his hands. He directed her towards the nearby bathroom. Lily nodded and went to change quickly. She reappeared, clutching her dress which Alfred took with the promise of making it look brand new for her.

Lily couldn't imagine wearing it ever again. Not with the memories stitched into it.

"Are you hungry at all?" Bruce asked.

"No….just tired," she shook her head.

He stared at her in such a way that she shyly ducked her head, a light blush dusting her features. She was bruised and stitched up, drowning in his sweatpants and henley. Her chocolate brown curls were pulled back so that a few tendrils fell into her face and she had no makeup on.

"Thank you, Alfred. I'll show Lily to her room," Bruce finally spoke, outstretching his hand so she could take it. Her room was just across the hall from his and next to Dick's. His paranoia made him want her to be close to him, just in case something happened.

"Bruce...thank you for everything," she said once they reached the door, "You didn't have to do this."

"I did, though. I had to ensure that you were safe and that you felt safe."

Lily smiled for the first time that night and pushed herself up on her toes so she could press her lips to his cheek. The second she pulled away, she had disappeared into her room. Bruce stood there, stunned, but finally a small smile of his own spread across his face.

However, Lily couldn't sleep that night. She just laid there on the plush sheets of the king sized bed in a room that was bigger than her whole apartment. It was a normal Gotham night that was topped off with a downpour and thunder.

She shut her eyes and all she could picture is a gun pressed to her head.

She rolled over and all she could feel was the hand wrapping around her foot as he dragged her back.

Every part of her body ached with pain, just a constant reminder of her privacy being invaded. Who had paid to get her? Was it Crane? He wasn't that crazy, right? She didn't feel safe in her own skin anymore.

A crack of lightning split the sky, making her jump. She sighed, resigning herself to a sleepless night when suddenly, the door opened. Her hand fumbled for the lamp next to her and she flipped it on.

"Dick?" she hissed, see the young boy's head pop in from the hall.

"I figured you would be scared from the storm, so I came to check on you," he stammered out, obviously a little frightened.

Lily laughed and pulled away her covers, patting the bed next to her.

"I guess I need someone to protect me from the storms," she teased as he climbed up, snuggling in next to her.

Lily hit the lights again and brought the covers up around the two of them.

"Buenas noches, mijo," she whispered instinctively.


	15. Chapter 15

Lily had felt out of place at the beginning of breakfast with the Wayne's, but they easily made her loosen up. She was now laughing at Dick's imitation of Bruce as said man was defending his stance on why scrambled eggs were "disgusting".

Breakfast was interrupted when Alfred walked in, Officer Jim Gordon trailing behind. Lily stood, extending her hand in greeting.

"Don't be a stranger," Jim chuckled, pulling her in for a hug. She suddenly felt like she was eleven years old, found in an alleyway after her mother had just been arrested. Gordon had been the one to find them and he and his wife were the ones that took them in. He was practically a father to Nadia and her.

"Would you like to move to the study?" Alfred asked, gesturing for them to follow.

"Since when were you with Bruce Wayne?" Jim hissed to her as they walked through the expansive mansion.

"I'm not with him," she scowled, "He's my boss. We're friends, I guess. He's just helping me right now."

Jim raised an eyebrow at her and she crossed her arms, glaring at him. He was always trying to find out about her love life, claiming that his kids were too young to get married yet so he needs something to look forward to.

Alfred opened the heavy oak doors to the study. He patted Lily reassuringly on the shoulder before walking out, leaving the two to talk.

"You were at Wayne's gala last night, correct?" Jim went straight to business, setting up his recorder.

"Yes. Being Mr Wayne's secretary, I go where he goes. I planned the gala so I attended it."

"At what time did you leave?"

"Around eleven. Alfred, Mr Wayne's butler, drove me home. I live in the Narrows so we thought it was best if I went home early."

"And when you came home?"

"The door was unlocked. I signaled for Alfred to call the police and when I turned my back, I was dragged into the apartment."

"Did the men say why they were there?"

"They said they were paid to. That someone wanted me. They would have succeeded if Batman and Robin hadn't gotten there in time."

Jim leaned forward and shut off the recorder before running a hand over his face with a sigh.

"Is this Crane?" she asked. He had been the one she had gone to when she tried to file the restraining order against Crane when she was nineteen.

"There's not enough evidence to go by anything yet," he shook his head.

"But, you think it may be."

"I don't know what to think," he responded in honesty, "You and I know that he's had something for you, but this isn't his style."

"He felt me up," she spat, "It was more than just a simple crush."

"I wish I could have got you the restraining order. If we are able to pin this on him, I don't think any judge can deny it."

"Would he abide by it?" she scoffed.

"Probably not," Jim admitted.

She sighed, burying her head in her hands before leaning back against the couch. The events of everything was starting to settle in her bones. When she pulled away her hands, his eyes narrowed in on her dark purple bruises and split lip.

"He's insane. He's the one that needs to be locked up in Arkham. Is there….is there any chance he may go after Nadia?"

"He wouldn't venture out of Gotham. He doesn't have power there. But speaking of Nadia…"

"What?" Lily sat up straighter, eyes cold and dark.

"I found something you may want to know," he reached into his bag and pulled out a file, "It's about your father."

She hesitantly took it and her fingers brushed over the glossy photos that were clipped to the front. She looked more like her father than anyone else. While her little sister had the tan skin, onyx hair, and chocolate eyes of their mother, Lily had lighter skin, hair, and the blue eyes of their father.

"Thank you," she whispered, not looking up from the smiling face of Michael Rosen.

"I better get back to the station. I'll call you if I have any more information." Jim gave her a tight smile as he stood before saying, "If Nadia comes into town, you two should come over for dinner. Barbara misses you two."

Lily nodded and waited until the door of the study shut before she let out a frustrated cry. Everything was going horribly wrong.


End file.
